Compare towns
Foster vs Northbridge vs Richmond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foster has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Richmond has the highest household income ($125k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Foster | Northbridge | Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
16,458Highest |
8,142 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.7±4.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Foster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Richmond and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Foster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Richmond and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$124,653±$27kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Richmond and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$435,800±$22k 31% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556 7% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,580±$777Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Richmond and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,362 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±42.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 38 in RI | #226 of 282 in MA | #16 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Foster | Northbridge | Chariho |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Chariho High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.